


A New Shade of Blue

by rotation (myneuronarrative)



Category: Blue's Clues
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 11:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19700323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myneuronarrative/pseuds/rotation
Summary: Steve and Joe say goodbye to Blue and her friends before welcoming her new owner.





	A New Shade of Blue

“Wow!” Steve said happily. “It’s so nice seeing Blue play with her school friends on this lovely day!”

It was Monday, and Blue was enjoying a day off with her friends after spending the weekend with Steve and Joe, her two favorite people in the world. She was playing with her little brother, Sprinkles, and they held court amongst Blue’s friends. Roo and Kit were playing with musical instruments; Periwinkle danced along while Green Puppy lay in the grass.

“You know, I don’t think I recognize those four puppies over there.” Steve pointed to four puppies resting by Blue and Sprinkles. There was a pink one wearing a shirt with the letters of the alphabet, an orange one with spots that looked like paint splatters, a purple one with a princess hat, and a yellow one with multiple shapes for spots.

“Those are Lettie, Artie, Princess Numbers, and Shay,” Joe said. “I met them through her. They were present at the arrival of Sprinkles.”

“How did Blue adjust to having a baby brother?”

“Oh!” Joe put his hand over his heart. “Blue adores him! She’s the best older sister a baby brother could ask for!”

Sprinkles raced around Blue, making her dizzy and fall to the ground. They both laughed and barked happily.

“That’s awesome!” Steve said. “Are she and Magenta still friends?”

“Always!” Joe assured. “She and Blue like to play Mommas. It’s a game where they both look after Sprinkles, so he doesn’t get hurt or into trouble.”

Soon enough, Magenta ran to Blue’s front yard to play. Blue and Magenta danced around happily as Roo and Kit played a song they wrote. Sprinkles barked and nibbled on Magenta’s ear, which made her laugh. Green Puppy growled at Sprinkles; he barked once, and she conceded defeat by laying her head on her paws.

Steve noticed this and pointed Green Puppy out to Joe. “Oh, I see Green Puppy, too. He isn’t still knocking over Blue’s block towers in class, is he?”

“She.”

“I’m sorry. Is she still knocking over Blue’s blocks?”

“No, she plays fair,” Joe said. “She really is nice. She just comes off as rude at times. Blue understands.”

“Does she still go by Green Puppy?”

“Yes, she does! She’s been trying out nicknames like Green or GP, but she hasn’t found one she likes yet.”

The breeze danced with the full green leaves on the trees. The bus was due by noon, but it seemed like it took forever for it to arrive.

“How is everybody? Any major changes?”

“We’ve been doing well,” Joe said. “Did you hear that Paprika’s all grown up?”

“ _What?_ It feels like just yesterday she was singing to the baby.”

“Not a baby anymore, either! Cinnamon is now the same age Paprika was when he was born.”

Steve took off his hat. “Time sure does fly.”

“Yeah. Like pigs, too.”

Both of the brothers laughed. Steve massaged the brim of his hat. Patches of hair shaded his balding head, and he had more hair growing on his face than on the top of his head.

“I don’t look funny, do I?” Steve asked.

“I don’t think that at all,” Joe responded. “You’re still my older brother, and Blue still thinks highly of you.”

“Thank you,” Steve said. “I just miss looking the way that I did before.”

“I know.”

Several cars drove by the house, but no bus.

“Steve?” Joe asked. “Do you think I did a good job taking care of her?”

“You were amazing, little buddy,” Steve promised. “And you’re gonna be great in art school, too.”

“Boy, I sure hope so! I want to make drawings and cartoons like I did when we were kids; but this time, I want to make a show for other kids like me.”

“Only time will tell, and it already thinks highly of you.”

“How come you’re not writing another album?” Joe asked.

“I am,” Steve said. “But taking care of Grandma is more important. She needs more help getting around these days.”

“I miss Grandma,” Joe said wistfully. “Should I come to help?”

“No, don’t worry about that. She would want you to keep drawing like how she wants me to continue writing music. I want to get reacquainted with her is all.”

“I understand,” Joe said, looking over his shoulder at Blue. “You never know how much time you have left with a person.”

At last, the bus arrived. A young man with tan-brown skin and a wide, genuine smile stepped out. He set his bags down while keeping his guitar hanging from his shoulder.

“Hi, I’m Josh!” The chipper young man wore a shirt with dark blue stripes. Blue’s friends approached him gingerly, shaking his hand and saying hello. The four puppies pawed up at him, barking all at once. Green Puppy growled at him, but when she saw that he wasn’t bad, she relaxed and allowed him to pet her. Steve took his spare key and quickly relocated Josh’s bags into the house.

Magenta stood by Blue and Sprinkles. She nuzzled against her friend and promised not to approach him first.

“Hiya, Josh,” Joe said, smiling as he shook his hand. “Steve told me a lot about you! Is it true you’re into theatre?”

“Especially the musical variety!” Josh struck a pose with his guitar. “I was an understudy for a play at a community theatre, but the lead actor had a sore throat and couldn’t perform.”

“That’s how we met,” Steve said, gasping for breath after moving Josh’s stuff. “I was in the audience, and I was so impressed by him that we got to talking backstage. I just knew he would be perfect to look after Blue.”

Josh looked over at the three puppies huddled together. Blue stood out to him the most.

“Is this Blue?” Josh crouched to her level. “Hi! I’m Josh. I’m your new person.”

Blue nervously regarded him and lay down in the grass in response.

“It’s OK,” Josh said. “You don’t have to be shy, but you don’t have to come here if you’re not ready yet.”

Sprinkles rushed towards him and rolled over, requesting pets from Josh. He petted Sprinkles’ tummy, and Sprinkles kicked his legs in contentment. Blue then ran over to Josh and kissed his hand; Magenta followed suit, and Josh patted both of their heads.

“She’s a beautiful puppy,” Josh said. “Where’s the rest of the crew?”

“They’re inside,” Joe said. “We already said our goodbyes.”

Steve pulled Josh aside, patted his shoulder, and whispered, “I promise that they will all love you.”

“I hope so,” Josh said. “It’s already so bright and sunny here!”

Joe approached Josh and shook his hand, giving him the key to the house in the process.

“You take good care of our family, Josh,” Joe said.

“I will, I promise.” Josh hugged both Steve and Joe before standing to the side, giving both of them space.

Blue nuzzled her head against Joe’s leg, letting out a sad murmur. Joe knelt down and hugged her. She kissed all over his face, which made him smile.

“I’ll miss you, too, Blue,” Joe said. “I promise to keep in touch. Steve will, too.”

Blue hopped out of Joe’s arms to say goodbye to Steve. He caught her and laughed in response to her kisses, feeling the same sense of joy he felt when he first got Blue as a baby.

“It’s so great to see you again,” Steve said.

Steve set Blue down, and Joe helped him get their bags. They boarded the bus, but not without waving at everyone one last time.

“Bye, Joe! Bye, Steve!” everyone said.

The bus doors closed, and they disappeared into the group of passengers while getting situated. Everyone continued waving as the bus made its way down the street and away from the house.

Josh turned around and clapped his hands.

“So, what do you want to do?” Josh looked around as a plume of suggestions sprouted from the crowd, but then he stopped to ask, “Have you seen Blue, my puppy?”

Blue and Sprinkles peeked their heads out from behind a rose bush.

“There she is!” everyone said.

Josh laughed as Blue and Sprinkles ran around him. He unlocked the door and welcomed everyone in. As he went inside, he began playing a song on his guitar.

**Author's Note:**

> Blue’s Clues said gay and trans rights, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
> 
> The names for some of the obscure Blue’s Clues characters come from nyanhou’s interpretation of them (see here! https://blues-clues.tumblr.com/post/179553366341/the-gangs-all-here-almost-i-really). The only one I didn’t include was Baby Bear.
> 
> I don’t know how the new series will introduce Josh, but the idea I came up with was that, like Steve, Joe wants to go to college to become a professional cartoonist. Steve wrote an album (which really happened after Steve Burns left the show), but he’s putting a halt on his music career to take care of his grandmother. He meets Josh at a community theatre production, where he takes on the lead role for one night (and its true that the real-life Joshua was an understudy in the Aladdin musical), and he decides Josh is perfect to look after Blue.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! And here’s to loving Blue’s Clues as fully-grown adults!


End file.
